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Ask yourself what you can do to make this world a better place

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Ask yourself what you can do to make this world a better place

Connie Mason Michaelis
 |  Special to The Capital-Journal

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In his inaugural speech in 1961, John F. Kennedy said some of the most memorable words of all time: “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country?”

I’m not launching into a political piece here, but that thought took me to a broader topic.

Garrison Keillor, American author, humorist, radio personality and creator of the fictional town of Lake Wobegon, said, “Anybody over 80 owes the world an explanation about why you are sticking around.”

That is a question worth considering.

If we Elders would have a 180-degree paradigm shift — moving from thinking that we are done being useful, to pondering what we could be doing to make this world a better place — it might turn us into a real power resource for good.

These days, 80-year-olds are often in the news. There is much criticism and outright bashing, especially in the political arena. But I hear no applause for people of that age who are appreciated for their willingness to stay involved.

Yes, there are valid reasons for Elders to get out of the way for younger people to step up, but the personal questions still exist. What is your explanation for sticking around? What are you doing for the good of humankind? Are you a giver, contributor encourager? Do you volunteer your time and resources?

When my mom was in her 90s, she said a daily prayer: “Lord, I’m ready to come to heaven unless you have something for me to do today. I’ll do my best to do it.” It was a part of her life. She often said she had no idea why she lived so long.

She spent her last five years in her small apartment in a retirement community. She watched after her neighbors, invited them to coffee, participated in the choir and contributed meagerly to her favorite missions. It wasn’t much, but she was a willing soul.

We Seniors do take up space and resources. And, yes, we saved money and earned Social Security and medical care. But we don’t want to be takers; we want to be givers and contributors. What can we do for our neighbors, our community and our country to make this world a better place?

Garrison said: “You’ve got work to do. Don’t put this off. And don’t take the long view, here. You know? Life is today and tomorrow and — and if you’re lucky, next week.”

So, at your funeral, will they say she/he was a giver, a lover, a contributor even to the end? I hope so.

And as Keillor says about funerals, “They say such nice things about people at their funerals that it makes me sad that I’m going to miss mine by just a few days.”

Find Connie’s book, “Daily Cures: Wisdom for Healthy Aging,” at www.justnowoldenough.com. 

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